Ever wonder what the live music industry and tourism spending in Canada means economically to the country?
Try a whopping $10.92 billion contribution to the GDP, according to a Canadian Live Music Association study released Thursday.
Data collected in 2024 by the CLMA also says live music and tourism created over 101,604 jobs, meant $9.9 billion in visitor spending, $3.73 billion in taxes and $5.84 billion in labour income.
“Understanding and harnessing this system creates a significant and scalable competitive advantage for Canadians and for all levels of government and is essential for our artists so that they can continue to share the music we love and need. And why wouldn’t we?” CLMA President and CEO Erin Benjamin said in a statement.
“This study is a benchmark, the numbers in it have been achieved largely in the absence of any dedicated fiscal policy frameworks aimed at incentivizing growth – $10.92B in combined impact from live music and tourism spending … without trying.”
The study – Here and Now: Understanding the economic power and potential of Canada’s Live Music Industry – was commissioned by the CLMA, and done by Nordicity.
The study showed in 2023 alone, live music festivals and live shows at venues in Canada together brought in a total of 19.69 million visitors.
The study also found live music operations alone represented a $2 billion contribution to GDP, the creation of 27,490 jobs, $513.5 million in taxes and $1.17 billion in labour income.
The CLMA was founded in 2014.